No good reason for assault weapons

Congressman Mark Kirk demonstrated recently what his supporters have known for years: He is an independent voice who makes his decisions based on results and what is right rather than ideology.

One need only look at his work to restore the assault weapons ban.

In the years that the assault weapons ban was in place, from 1994 to 2004, crimes involving assault weapons dropped by 66 percent.

That is a significant reduction and it made all of us, as well as the police officers who protect us, safer.

Unfortunately the ban was allowed to expire in 2004.

Congressman Kirk is leading the charge to pass a new assault weapons ban.

There is no good reason for anyone to have an assault weapon and our police officers shouldn't need to be dressed in full body armor every time they go out on patrol.

Kirk is one of the few Republicans to be endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and it is not hard to see why.

Stacy Zabrin

Northbrook